Slow Down!

If you could determine the one bit of running advice dispensed and received more often than any other, it would probably be “Go out slow.”

Wisdom From Winners

Gertrude Stein once famously said that the answer is there ain’t no answer.

The Mile High Club: Running at Altitude

Are you a member of the Mile High Club? No, not the one that involves airplanes and sardine can acrobatics. I’m talking about running

Seeking Orthotic/Shoe Harmony?

You’ve just dropped $300-$500 US on brand spanking new orthotics, popped them into your $120 running shoes and ouch! It feels like you’re running with two planks strapped to your feet.

Do You Need a Doctor Who Runs?

Every runner who has been at it for more than a few months likely has come up with some kind of ache, pain or injury that was serious enough to land you in a doctor’s office.

Very Superstitious

Many athletes have quirky superstitions, like the hockey goalie who talks to his posts or the baseball player who refuses to wash his shirt between games. Some sports just seem to lend themselves to superstitions and eccentric routines.

Shhhh! There’s a Baby in the House

Things you can do when you have a new baby in the house, and she stops you from running (babies have that power):

Buy a jogging stroller. It will take a few months until she’s big enough to go in it, but you can immediately start dreaming about your quality time together.

Rest. Remember, recovery is important.

Stretch. […]

Tips for the Traveler

I’ve had success and failure, and here’s my quick list of what works and what doesn’t.
1. If possible, plan your hotel location. For a client I’ve got near Baltimore, I’ve had great running trips when I stayed near a bike path/multi-use trail that I could get to safely on foot. And I’ve had
not so great […]

I Run Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death

After a long deep sleep and a substantial breakfast I headed out for a morning run with exercise physiologist Mike Siemens. He’s an experienced triathlete and in 2006 he ran Boston, which is my ultimate goal. His plan is to observe my gait and give me an interval workout to improve the efficiency of my […]

The Perfect Day

Runners hear a lot of advice. Sometimes, too much advice.
Don’t get me wrong—I’m all for healthy living. But you can drive yourself crazy trying to do everything that experts recommend.
I’ve gathered a large sampling of advice and put together a blueprint for a Perfectly Healthy Day. How many of these things […]

Seven Lessons for Becoming a Happier Runner

The other day I discovered a Wall Street Journalstory that distilled findings from academic studies of human happiness into seven lessons. The list related to money and careers, but I wondered how runners could use it to become the best they can be. Here are the lessons and explanations configured for both the casual […]

Spousal Support

What would we do without them? It’s tough getting up on a Sunday morning and doing that 20-miler, but what a joy to return home and find your spouse or significant other has a stack of your favorite pancakes waiting for you.
We enjoy our enthusiasms because the sacrifices we make on their behalf don’t seem […]

A Bad Air Day

Driving this weekend through California’s San Joaquin Valley, it was hard not to notice agricultural-related aromas, such as a massive methane-producing livestock ranch or freshly fertilized farmland. It got me thinking: Sometimes air really stinks.
This is nothing new, of course. Air quality has been a problem for many decades, and the recent emphasis on global […]

Flexibility: Not Just for Muscles

You’ve heard it a million times. “Don’t try anything new on race day.” It’s good advice, especially for those tempted to wear the new running shoes or apparel they bought at the race expo the day before.
I follow it religiously. Every morning I get up at 4 a.m., have my wife drive me to the […]

The Birds, the Bees, and the Yappy Little Dogs

Animal encounters are the price of sharing the great outdoors with God’s creatures, but perhaps because runners cover so much territory we seem to have more than our share.
I’ve had a gash opened on my calf by a nine-pound yapping monster—on a retractable leash, mind you—and had a huge friendly Labrador follow me on my […]

How to Start a Running Club

Many people think running is a solitary sport. It sure can be - after all, one of the great aspects of running is that it is a simple sport. You don’t need much gear and you can run anytime, anyplace, anywhere (with a few exceptions). But running can also be a social […]

Murphy Was a Runner

Your chances of an injury rise proportionally with the amount of the entry fee you just paid.
If a race brochure says “no dogs or strollers,” you will see a dog get hit by a stroller.
You will set a PR the day your chip falls off at the starting line.
If that cute guy/girl is checking out […]

Run Against Your Old Self

Whether you have been running for two weeks or two decades, you are constantly asking yourself, “Why can’t I run faster?!” Your enjoyment upon reaching a new PR lasts about as long as that ice cream cone or latté you treated yourself to.
There’s nothing wrong with establishing, then exceeding, new benchmarks. Your expectations should rise […]

Running on the Run

One of the things that a lot of us struggle with is continuing to stick to a training program despite having to travel for work or
pleasure. Having spent some time on the road recently, here’s a couple of suggestions for racking up both frequent flier miles and
training miles:

Pack it in. You can’t run if […]

Tips for Beating the Heat

Good Morning Boys and Girls!
As I’m sure those of you who live in the Northern Hemisphere have noticed, it’s summer. As such, we’re having to deal with weather that is, in technical terms, sucky. It’s hot at lunch, and it’s sticky in the mornings and the evenings.
In short, it’s a wonderful time to be running.
Here […]

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